Four Umno MPs from Sabah are expected to resign from the party today to become independents in support of the federal government. 

The Malaysian Insight reported that the dissolution of Sabah Umno is also expected to be announced today by state party chief Hajiji Noor.

"Barring any obstacle, all this will take place today," the report quoted a source as saying.

The four representatives set to leave are believed to be Kudat MP Abd Rahim Bakri, Beaufort MP Azizah Mohd Dun, Libaran MP Zakaria Mohd Edris and Beluran MP Ronald Kiandee.

Kiandee also chairs the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

Of Umno's five remaining MPs in Sabah, only Kinabatangan MP Bung Moktar Radin is set to stay with the party.

In the 14th general election, Sabah Umno won eight out of 26 parliamentary seats in the state.

However, Kimanis MP Anifah Aman and Labuan MP Rozman Isli left the party in September and October respectively.

Rozman has since joined Parti Warisan Sabah, while Anifah, the former foreign minister, has remained independent.

Umno's Sipitang MP Yamani Hafez Musa has yet to take his oath as an MP and has to do so by Jan 15, or the seat will be declared vacant.

Sources say the four MPs are leaving Umno due for the sake of their political survival, as Sabah is a huge state and it is difficult for them to serve their constituents without support from both the state and federal governments.

Their best option, according to the source, would be to leave and eventually join Warisan or Bersatu.

The Sabah state government is currently being led by Warisan.

Sabah BN was dissolved after GE14 when the state Umno and three other Sabah parties formed the Gabungan Bersatu Sabah (GBS) coalition.

Former deputy chief minister Joseph Pairin Kitingan from Parti Bersatu Sabah currently chairs GBS.